MAIN ROADS has come to the party and even outgunned Freo council in providing plans to upgrade the High Street/Stirling Highway intersection and minimise the impact on residents, says mayor Brad Pettitt.

Dr Pettitt took time out from his paternity leave this week (a daughter came earlier this week, and while they’re close to a name nothing permanent’s been bestowed yet) to praise the McGowan government for its consultation over the intersection.

He says council reps met with transport, planning and lands minister Rita Saffioti recently and from that a couple of planning options had been put forward which would be put out for public comment.

• Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt says the McGowan government has come to the party over the High Street/Stirling Highway intersection. Photo by Steve Grant

“This is a better solution, at a lower cost that will make the road safer and more efficient,” Dr Pettitt told the Herald.

“It’s been a long journey for the Fremantle community to get an appropriate upgrade to this section of road.

“It’ll be good for residents, for traffic flow, for netball players, and for minimising impacts on golf courses and mature trees.”

He says the council had suggested making a row of trees along High Street the new median strip and create a double lane to turn onto Stirling Highway, while Main Roads wanted to simply push the asphalt a bit closer to the trees.

by STEVE GRANT